


Fallout x Reader-Open to Requests!

by thegreatandpowerfultoaster



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Again, BITTAH SPRINGS, Dead Wives as Plot Devices, Denial of Feelings, Diamond City, Female Reader, Fluff and Angst, Give me more ghoul requests please, Hurt/Comfort, I love all ghouls okay, I will write institute characters even if as a whole i hate them, If you're wondering if its supposed to be an innuendo or not, Internal Conflict, Internal Monologue, Joshua Grahams Skinny Jeans tho, Liberty Prime, Lots of eye rolls, Love Confessions, Multi, Nightmares, Not Canon Compliant, Pre-War, Radiation Storm, Romantic Friendship, Snark, So Much Snark, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Was it supposed to be fluffy or platonic, Yes the reader blew up the institute, You can look at it either way!, also, fight me, it probably is, male reader - Freeform, reader - Freeform, request, sorry - Freeform, sorry for that tag, stimpacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2018-10-23 12:22:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 11,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10719273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreatandpowerfultoaster/pseuds/thegreatandpowerfultoaster
Summary: A bunch of Fallout reader-inserts posted on wattpad first. Now requests are open here, as well! Read guidelines inside.





	1. Rules

I'm happy to write any character of either gender.

As stated in the synopsis, I accept characters from 3, NV and 4. While I own the other games, I haven't gotten around to playing them yet. One day, I'm sure I will.

Reader (Unless otherwise asked for) will be female.

No smutty requests please.

Don't feel shy, I'm happy to write characters nobody else would want to! ;)

Give me one or two days to write stuff, sometimes things come up.


	2. Joshua Graham x Reader 'Stay'

 

"What do you even do around here? How do you live here without being bored to deeaaath?!"

 

Follows-Chalk shrugged, indicating that he didn't believe living in Zion was boring at all. Six was starting to think she should've stayed in Vegas, even though for some cryptic reason, Joshua Friggin' Graham had asked her to stay. The man was a mystery to her, wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a whole lot of bandages.

He hadn't even said why, but she still stayed. What did that say about her, the Great and Powerful Courier six. Probably that she was a sucker for a man in tight jeans. Which wasn't untrue per say but still....inaccurate when it came to the former Legate. Maybe it was his voice? It was definitely that and seemingly endless wisdom, but flaws underneath the God facade.

"Well,"the Dead Horse continued, (As if she were listening, which she wasn't) "If you need something to do, I'm sure Joshua-"

She shook her head widely. "Nuh-uh. No way. If he needs me, he can come out of his little hidey-hole and come get me." Follows-Chalk squinted at this comment, which had flown out on it's own more than anything else. She sighed. "Sorry. It's just that it's been a week since the whole White Legs thing and he asked me to stay, and he hasn't said a word to me since then. I can't just stay here forever."

 

The day passed fairly quickly from here on out, she grudgingly accepted Follows-Chalks offer to help take care of the Bighorners at the top of the hill. Hill was a bit of an understatement. It was really more of a mountain than anything...and the air was cooler up there, so she might have fallen asleep. (Not that she'd admit it.)

It was dark when she woke up, to a small bit of wind going into the valley. With only the starlight to guide her she began her way down the not-really-a-hill and back to the camp. About halfway down she saw a shape, a human one, sitting on the cliff edge. Upon (careful)further inspection it was the Burned Man himself. His shape was outlined by faint light, and she could see him carefully unwrapping a small bit of bandage on his arm. Without thinking much, she went and sat near him, letting her legs fall over the edge.

"Well,well, well. If it isn't the man himself. Look who finally came out of his cave." She could have sworn the bandages over his mouth curved the slightest bit, but he payed her no other mind, only replying as he continued to unwrap a bandaged arm.

"If you are referring to my avoidance of you in the last few days or so,I'll have you know I can only come out at night unless I would like to be in crippling pain."

"Yeah,well," she said, signaling to her forehead, and the scar on it. "My head hurts when it rains, and hell, does it rain a lot in Utah."

She thought she caught an eye roll after that. That had to be imagined, right? "If it bothers you so much, then leave."Six shook her head. "Not 'till you tell me why I'm still here. Why you asked me to stay."

He contemplated this for far longer than a moment. She did her best to stay quiet and not look at his still charred exposed skin. "Well?"she finally bursts.

"I...I am not sure myself."

His hesitation scared her. Since when is he of all people unsure? "W-What are you saying?"

"I'm saying stay," he says. "A while longer why I try to understand....why. What....What the plan is for you....and I."

The silence is almost deafening after this remark. Is he saying...She hesitates to respond at first, it left her kind of speechless. Him?He...has feelings?No, that isn't right... Why does the revelation startle her so much. What the hell does he want with feelings?

"You and I as in..."

He still refused to look at her, and she was a little pissed at his pride, or maybe his nonchalance. "Us? Yes, I suppose that is what I mean. Of course, you don't seem like the kind of woman to settle down."

Graham is so wrong. That's what Vegas was becoming to her, a home, a place to settle down and that's why she wanted to go back so much. Maybe before the bullet it would have seemed like a stupid idea, but now it was more of a goal. And with him? The idea didn't sound so bad. In fact it sounded kind of nice. Maybe...

"Yeah. I'll stay. You just....find an answer, I guess." Her hesitance was met with a warm hand resting on her back, and sudden lips on her forehead. She smiled up at him, trying to make out his expression in the low lighting and failing, mostly because she found herself putting her lips on his own.

He winced back, just a bit and she quickly pulled away. "That hurt you, didn't it. Idiot, don't do things that will hurt you!" it was supposed to be a command, but sounded more like a plea.

"I'm fine," he insisted in his normal monotone voice, that now held just a hint of amusement. "And don't think you're getting out on a second of it, just because it stings me."

"All of it?" she cocked an eyebrow at him.

Another real life eye roll. "All of it."he says, putting his hands around her waist with his still wrapped hand and pulling her closer, gently.


	3. Amata x Male Reader 'I'll Come When You Call'

For as long as (Y/N) could remember, Amata had been his very best friend. She had always been there for him, and he had always been there for her. It was a wonder their fathers didn't worry as they got older. 

But then, his father left the Vault, very unexpectedly, and he was forced out too. Amata had seemed apologetic, but also acted like she had something to say. As did he, but with the Overseers guards on his back, he never got the chance to tell her that she was more than just a friend. 

It had been two or so months in the Wasteland, and it wasn't near as bad as (Y/N) had thought it would be. It was becoming more and more like home as time went on, but he still had not forgotten about the home, The Vault he had left. It all seemed like a different lifetime.

He wanted to believe that there was still someone in there, even if everyone and everything else had been obliterated. 

(Y/N) wanted to think that it hadn't, but it had not exactly been a smooth running Vault when he left. He was in Megaton, that being his place of residence now, and it wan't all that far away, was it? 

He found himself wandering towards Vault 101. Within half a mile, the Pip-Boy that adorned his arm found a new station, one that usually tended to stay in the vault. The PA system was broadcasting all the way out here?

Maybe there was still a chance.

The switch clicked a bit when turned to the station, and he made a note to clean the dirt out of the switches sometime. Maybe he could ask Stanley to fix it- If...If the vault was still running. 

The station was a bit quiet, but still came in relatively fine, even being this far away. Someone had to have tampered with it. Instead of spewing Vault-Tec propaganda and slogans, like the unusually catchy, "A Brighter Future: Underground," or even the mildly annoying, "Hard Work is Happy Work," it was playing a woman's voice.

She sounded a bit different, although not much. Perhaps it was the months apart. (Y/N) didn't think they'd ever been away that long before. How could you be, living in such a small place. The wasteland was preferred by bounds and leaps.

He listened in silence. "It feels like you left home a long time ago," she begins, and he can hear the sigh, the stress. It hurts that he can just hear the pain in her voice.

"But I know you're still out there." She sounds a little stronger with this statement, not unsure at all. She's right, and pride wells into (Y/N)'s chest. She believes in him. This is followed by another sigh, just a short one. "I just hope you're still alive to hear this."

"Things got worse after you left, if you can believe that," Worse? How much worse, exactly? Things were pretty much hell, with the Overseer having killed Jonas, driven him out, and a Radroach attack... Nothing was going well, exactly.

"My Father's gone mad with power." 

Oh.

Oh. It's not as if he hadn't expected it. The Overseer had always been a bit of a nut for power, although he'd never tell Amata that he thought that....But this was all his fault, wasn't it?

"If you can hear this, please stop looking for your dad and help stop mine. I managed to change the door password to my name. If you're hearing this, and if you still care enough to help me, then you should remember it," he hears he choke a little on her final words. "I'm not sure how long I can hold up without you. Please, hurry."

He's rushing towards 101 as fast as his feet will carry him. He's got to help, and he's got to tell her.


	4. Deacon x Reader 'Names'

They sit underneath an old concrete slab with just enough room for her to comfortably lay on top of him and watch the lightning flash in the sky, and watch the somewhat acidic rain fall. She feels like she might fall asleep, so she begins to speak.

"When are you going to tell me your name?" she sighs into his chest. The other spy simply waggles his eyebrows, knowing it will make her roll her eyes at him.

"Maybe I already have," he says. "And you just don't know it." He should tell her this. One. Thing. He doesn't tell her anything. Not even when they are screwing around playing 'Two Truths and a Lie', which he wouldn't even know if she hadn't taught him.

He's right about the eye rolling. She refuses to take that for an answer. But he's just as stubborn as she is, if not more so. "Ha flipping ha. I told you my name!"

Deacon lets his sunglasses slide down his nose, pretending to look very, very confused. "You mean its not Charmer? I thought it was."

"Great job," she snorts loudly, letting her head fall back into his chest. "Congratulations, you've just won the Most Stupid Person I've Ever Met Award." He doesn't laugh, only shakes his head. "I'm going to make you a ribbon." 

She sighs, almost asleep again and then he laughs. "Really funny, (Y/N). Why do you care, anyways? It isn't like it really matters."

Another fork of lightning touches down on the wasteland, and a moment later she hears the impact. "Same reason why it's important to me that I don't wake up and you've had a face change. I just think we should be on fair ground."

She's certain she feels all his muscles tighten. "You really want to know?"

"Yeah," She puts a hand on his shoulder, and rubs it and the soft skin covering his collar bone, trying to get him to see that its fine. She would never do anything to hurt him, use himself against him. "Why wouldn't I?"

They're both quiet for a really long time. too long for anyone to be quiet. "I don't remember," he whispers finally. "It seems silly but I've been way to many people to even remember which one I was first."

"That doesn't seem too silly," she reassures. 

"No...I wanna tell you, really. I just can't. And for once I'm not lying. I don't think she knew my name, either."

"It's fine," She had wanted to know, but with it being him, she might have had a better question. "Who do you want to be, then?"

It takes him a minute to consider this. "I think after all this Institute crap is done with, I'll just stick with Deacon."

"Ahh. Then I'll just keep Charmer."

He laughs, and runs an absentminded hand through her (H/L) (H/C) hair. "I love you. Never change."

That's the first time he's said it. She almost doesn't know what to say. "I love you, too."

The 'Don't change' part is unsaid, but they both get it. She's made it clear enough.


	5. Tulip x Male Reader 'Still Unsaid'

He had to admit that he liked the sweet ghoul trader. She quite obviously liked him, too. Sure, she tripped over her words a lot and what was left of her skin flushed a bright and embarrassed red more often then it didn't. 

(Y/N) just couldn't understand why the rest of Underworld didn't talk to her much, and avoided trading with her as much as the could, even in a very enclosed community. She wasn't rotting any more than the rest of them, and she sure was a lot nicer than a lot of the towns population. So he went to see her as often as he got to Underworld with his travels around the wasteland, which was actually pretty often recently. 

She always had something new to tell him, or a new item to show him. She acted like he enjoyed his stories too, although lately there hadn't been much to tell her, except that he thought his father was in Vault 112, looking for a GECK. Which he was telling her currently, and she wasn't taking it very well.

"I...don't remember too much about what they said it was supposed to do....Oh, but (Y/N), I've been around long enough to know that those vaults were not what they were supposed to so. And..."

She looked so flustered and worried. "And I haven't ever heard of anyone out here from Vault 112. What if that means...?"

(Y/N) smiled as calmly as he could and gave her a hug. She had begun to sniffle, and as cute as it was she was upset. Gently he rubbed circles on her back and the sniffling slowed. "Tulip, you know me. I promise I'll be careful as can be, okay?"

She gave a slight nod. "I just don't know what I'd do if something were to happen. You're my best friend and....I think..."

She pressed her forehead to his. Unlike most he wasn't disgusted by the rotting skin. Ghouls were as human as everyone else, Tulip was more human than some he had met. More caring, more feeling. Her lips inched closer to (Y/N)'s, as if asking permission. He initiated first.

"Just...come back. Soon." 

He smiled. There were so many things they could have said. Maybe he could find his dad, and be back before the week was over.


	6. Boone x Reader 'Nightmares'

He was calling out in his sleep again. She wished she could do something, but sometimes waking him would only make it worse. He would...wake up on his own, eventually. Then, she'd be there to try and comfort him, and tell him it was all just a dream. 

She wished she could somehow do more, but he didn't let anyone close enough to him to do so. There was certainly a reason why, a very real and understandable reason. But still, what on earth would she gain by hurting a friend?

A very good friend, (Y/N) had thought. 

It's not as if she had been anywhere near the Legion, there shouldn't have been any mistrust between them at all, but she supposed that he was still getting over Carla, and he was doing it in his small, closed off way. 

He hadn't even told her fully what had happened with Carla, but there was no way she was going to press him for information about that, of all things.

He shot up suddenly, and she hurriedly got up and went to the other side of their makeshift camp, where he had been sleeping. "Boone," she whispered softly. "It was just a dream, okay? Are you alright?"

He only grumbled, rubbing his eyes and standing up. "Yeah. Fine. I just need to take a walk, okay." He wasn't very convincing. 

But it was dark, it was the wasteland. It was more out of concern for herself, admittedly. What if he was gone for an hour or so, like he normally was. What if he got lost, or attacked by legion. Not that (Y/N) doubted him, but they traveled in groups. "I'm coming with."

"No, you aren't," he raised an eyebrow at her as he stood up. "I just need air."

"Like hell that's all you need," (Y/N) muttered. "I'm coming with. You aren't my mother, and can't tell me what to do."

Even in the dark, she could make out his clear frown. "Better keep up," the sniper said through his teeth." He wasn't kidding. He walked fast, tracing the cracks in the dirt with his steps. She struggled to keep up with his long strides. He seemed more awake now, definitely. His gaze wasn't as clouded as it had been, still he squinted in worry, having not brought the sunglasses he wore everywhere on this little excursion.

She thought of nearly a thousand things she could say, but none seemed right for the situation. Maybe (Y/N) could tell him that despite his fears or opening up, she would always be there. No...

There was so much more to it than that. But still, it seemed impossible to phrase. They arrived back sooner than she would've liked. "There," Boone sighed. "Happy now? I'm fine."

"What did you dream about?"

Hi bit his lip, and refused to look at her at all. "I don't remember. Don't see how its any of your business, either way. No offence, (Y/N). Just... Y'know."

(Y/N) flinched, just a little. "Its not my business. But... You deserve someone you can at least talk to. You've been through enough alone and...and it's hard. I know that. Maybe not as well as you do...but still. So, if you don't want to tell me, that's fine, whatever. But you can't carry all you burdens, alone. Not forever."

And she really meant it all, to. He slowly looked up at her. "I guess not." 

And no. He didn't spill everything. Not in one night, at least. She could never ask him to do that, anyways. But when he finished telling her what he had dreamt about, she wrapped her arms around him, and he wrapped his around her. "Just...promise you won't leave, okay?" He whispered as they stood there. "Take my burdens if you want them. I'll take yours, if you need me to."

"I'd never leave your side," (Y/N) softly confirmed.


	7. Preston Garvey x Reader

She was running, as fast as her tired legs would carry her across the common wealth. Surely she had been running long enough that they had lost sight of her. Now she simply had to get back to Sanctuary Hills.

Wherever that was comparatively to here, anyways. When she slowed to a stop, her legs almost fell from beneath her. 

Surely she could afford to stop for a short rest, just long enough to gain some strength and reassess the situation. That shouldn't take long....

But by the time she had found a suitable, out of the way place to sleep, they had caught up to her. Where could she possibly run now? If they had caught up now, there was no way she could lose them.

One, the leader probably grinned like it was an old world holiday and grabbed her wrist, dragging her to her feet. "Now," he said, giving her a once over and holding her up for the rest of the raiders to see. "Hero of the 'wealth. We've 'eard about you, haven't we?"

There was a wholehearted chorus of confirmations from them. There was no writhing out of the mans grasp. Maybe earlier, when she wasn't so terribly exhausted she would've stood a chance.

But not now. Not alone, when there was probably a good ten of them and one of her. Normally, she'd have someone at her side, someone being Preston.

Suddenly she wished she hadn't left him back at Sanctuary, insisting that she could handle herself for once. Aside from being wrong about that there was also the matter of not getting back there. Ever. Her heart sunk when she though of it. 

Preston made her heart flutter, she admitted. And shed never get to see if just maybe...she did that to him too? At the very least she'd never get to pass on her rank of General to him personally. 

He deserved it more than her anyways, so she almost supposed it all had worked out, whatever these raiders had in mind for her.

"This, boys is our new leader." 

The raiders voice shocked her out of her thoughts. Unfortunately she had already decided that she would much rather die than try to lead a group of raiders, should it come to this.

"Ah!" Her voice went up in protest, almost all on its own. "Who said I would do that?!" 

It was dead silent for about a second, and that was followed by hysterical laughter. "You don't 'ave any choice here, lady. Y'do it or ya die. "

"Then I choose death." 

Oh yes. Impending death. Pleasant. There were worse ways to go, she was certain. But this was not the one she would've chosen for herself. Ah well. It had been a well spent one.

There had been the rebuilding of the Minuteman, that had most certainly been one of the prouder ones. Killing a radroach. That was nice, the fewer of those there were around...

She hardly felt the blade on her throat, but she was trying her hardest to convince herself that it wasn't there at all and she-

The knife dropped. "Put her down. Now." 

That voice was one she knew well, one she could distinguish in a crowd easily. What was the owner of that voice doing here? No that she minded the rescue, of course.

She was dropped to the ground, and she had not at all braced for the impact it would have on her tired limbs. A battle had obviously erupted between her people and the raiders but she could do nothing but cover her head and pray for the best.

It had seemed like the battle lasted forever, or perhaps only a moment. Eventually she looked up, because a voice was asking if she was alright and a hand was on r shoulder.

Her heart rose to her throat but she managed to nod. "I-I'm alright. How did you find me?"

Preston smiled at her and helped her up on her shaky legs. "I'm so glad you're okay, (Y/N). We were just running our normal patrols and heard someone out here. I...we were so lucky we found you when we did. Otherwise..."

Her eyes welled up. "I know. I'm so tired," she sighed. "It feels like its been days since I've slept. It probably has. C-can we go home?" 

He smiled and nodded. "I'll help you. Sanctuary isn't far, I promise."

She was so tired it was hard to think. All that her brain was really getting right now was that he has saved her, and that he was really close. Which normally made her nervous but right now, it felt as if he should've been closer.

Yes. This was home. Finally. He stopped her at the door. "(Y/N) do you need...anything? Anything at all? I know it can be hard to ask sometimes, but I'm always here. You know that, right?"

"Of course. I love to have you by my side," she replied. "There is one thing I'd like to do to...thank you, actually."

He looked confused, and she took the spur of the moment to kiss him. Preston's eyes widened, and he began to stammer nervously.

"I...General...you don't have to...."

Finally he decided to offer a quiet thanks and this time, kiss her. "Don't go out alone again," he insisted. "Don't leave me with no one. You do have to prove it...I-I..."

Her eyes were drooping heavily. "Need a nap. And maybe someone to cuddle with?" He smiled and nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N-Soooooorry this took forevah. In other news....Dragon Age: Origins x readers anyone? I want to start one but y'know... I want people to be interested in it.


	8. Human!Yes Man x F!Reader

Six had again fallen asleep in her chair, again. It had become a habit, lately. Ruling Vegas was hard work, and the recent lack of sleep hadn't done her any favors.

Everyone else had scattered back to where they belonged, or wandered off to find their own lives, and she guessed that was alright. (Y/N) still had a city, after all, and of course the Securitrons. And Yes Man. Still, sometimes it got sort of lonely, up there in the Lucky 38, and she wondered how House had done it, day in and day out.

Yes Man was the one to wake her up. With the changes to his programming, (Y/N) had also sent him across the country for a Synth body, figuring that she might as well, with her new ties to people. She certainly owed him a lot, and it seemed like the least she could do.

Somehow, it seemed as if that act had helped him to gain even more agency. He spoke up against her when she decided to do something stupid, and she would suggest something worse in a just as cheery voice to see if he would finally comply.

He seemed to get a lot of amusement out of this little game, and when she finally gave up he would grin brightly and ask her what she wanted to do next.

More often than not, she'd tell him that she needed to get some work done, and end up falling asleep in her chair-just like now-an hour later. 

He came to wake her up this time, and (Y/N) had to admit that it wasn't an unpleasant way to wake up. His hand wasn't cold or metal, like it probably should've been, but warm. His smile wasn't artificial, as it had been, but...human.

Six blushed. Was she really and truly crushing on Yes Man, of all people? 

"Hi! Good morning, sleepyhead. Well, evening, but its really all the same, right? I made Blamco! Who knew burning yourself on a hotplate would be so painful, right?" 

(Y/N) suppressed a small chuckle. He certainly liked to ramble. She was just being silly, it had been far too long since she had interacted with anyone but him. Certainly she just needed to get out of this damn to were for once.

"Thanks for waking me up. Are you okay, burns and all?"

He nodded and held up his opposite hand. Two of his fingers were bright red. "I think so. The fact that the searing pain remains means it's getting better, right?" Okay, she definitely detected the sarcasm with that one. Sometimes it was hard to tell.

She ran through her small medical inventory in her head. "Okay, I'm going to go get a stimpack and some aloe. Don't move a muscle."

His head cocked to one side, "No problem! I can just stop my heart and lungs from moving an we'll be all set."

"Ha fucking ha. You knew what I meant. Stay there."

Only a minute later, (Y/N) exited the elevator with what she needed. He had sat down on her chair, staring at his injured hand with a sort of interest. She held out her own hand. "Can I see it?"

Obediently he rested his hand in hers. Her schoolgirl crush feelings flared up again. With a loud sigh, she fought to ignore it and inserted the stimpack. The faction she got was unexpected.

"Owch!" Yes Man yelped. Not even in a particularly cheerful way. Just...in pain. That was new. "That...hurt!"

"I..." Why was she at a loss for words? He was more or less human now, it was to be expected that he could feel pain. "Does it feel any better now?"

He tried to smile again, and nodded. "Much, thanks!" Six was still at attempting to apply the aloe leaf pulp to his hand when he looked up at her again. "Hey! So...uhm, can you explain something to me, maybe?"

Usually it was the other way around. He knew a lot more than her about...well, probably everything. Still, she nodded. "I'll do my best, sure."

"What does it mean when your heart starts beating above its normal level. I mean, that can't be good, right? It might explode and then you would have one!"

What...did he mean by that? "You're going to have to elaborate, there. Were you running? Were you worried about something?" Who does she think she's kidding. He's never worried. She thinks about how her heart's beating now, because his hand's still in hers and he's just so...soft.

He's so quiet, for a minute. There's just a lot of breathing, between the two of them. "No, I'd know if it was because of running, I'm sure. It's the strangest and yet most enlightening thing! It only happens around you! Haha, its like I've got a (Y/N) radar built in! Isn't that hilarious?" 

Its just not sincere, its like he's covering up for his timidness, at first. But... She feels it too. And she tells him his, and his face turns bright red, and she almost expects him to make some quip about overheating but he doesn't. "Really?"

"Yeah," you respond. "Do you really want to know what I think it means?" The Synth nods. "I think it means that I like you, and you like me."

His brow furrows. "Of course I like you, I mean, why would I continue to help you? I have a choice now, and you haven't even tried to threaten me at all, which is sort of nice-"

"Yes Man! I think that I like you more than a friend, okay?"

"Like...a best friend?!"

His voice doesn't betray him, but she still thinks he's nervous. "More."

The silence is deafening. It's been quiet for eons when he finally speaks. "Alright, then! I think we definitely need to talk about this. But first-" he moves to get up and (Y/N) isn't quite sure what to expect but the word 'soft' comes to mind again and suddenly he kisses her.

She turns red again. "Yeah, we need to talk about this."


	9. Ulysses x F!Reader

Its cold. Colder than usual, anyways and the wind sweeping over the cliffs doesn't really help. Ulysses tells her than it will rain, but she isn't as sure about it as he seems to be. It almost never rains put here, but when it does, it's usually a radiation storm, and they've got to find somewhere to shelter until it quits.

They've been walking for what feels like forever. Then again, it feels like forever ago that she entered the Divide, when it can't have been much more than a month ago. Has it really only been that long? Less, since they'd left that missile silo that was crashing down around them like her world had been? That long since he'd been convinced to take her home?

Real home, not where she'd been holed up ever since she'd gotten to Vegas. A place she didn't remember, not very well, anyways. It was his home, too at one point. After the Legion and before the Platinum Chip. He had said that people still lived there, and a that they would remember her.

Six sure hoped so. That was all that she was clinging to, right now.

They were set back for about an hour. It had started raining, and at least he hadn't said anything about it, just gave her a small glare and dragged her into the nearest cave. She popped a Radaway into her own mouth, and handed another to him. 

For that hour, they simply sat together and spoke, (even if she did most of the talking) and it was nice. He had asked what her plan was once she reached the village, and she said that she wasn't sure yet, having not planned it all out past that point. 

"You could stay," he offered. "The Mojaves conflict is not yours."

"And what would you do?"

Ulysess shrugged. Simply shrugged and looked back down at the cave floor. At least he didn't know either. That was a sort of comfort. Sometimes he just seemed so much more together than (Y/N) was. 

They headed out into the sand again, inching their way across cliffs that should've been impossible to get across. Her heart was punting by the time they reached a large flat area that dropped off on three of the sides. There was no way to get any further, save for going back the way they came and trying again. The other courier leaned over one of the sides, before placing an arm around her shoulders and stepping forward again. His other arm pointed outwards. "There."

The one word was enough. There it was, almost below them. Home. But... "How are we getting down there?"

He gestured to a bit of the ledge that she hadn't played any special attention to. It looked a bit less steep, but surely not enough to make a difference. He didn't expect her to climb down that way did-

Well, at least he went first. (Y/N)Adel couldn't even see if he'd managed to kill himself on the slope, the way it all curved inward a bit. Six counted to ten, closed her eyes and do d down the cliffside. Not the most pleasant experience ever, but she wasn't dead, so that was...a plus. 

Slowly, she took her first step towards the town. She had been born there, at least according to Ulysses. Maybe...maybe she had siblings....maybe her patents missed her...

Maybe....

The town was dead silent, aside from a screeching from down the road always. Silently, her companion got the owner of the screeching in the sights of his rifle, and shot. She yelled, "Wait!" She had been too late anyways, but what if...

"It was a ghoul. Feral. There's no people here."

"W-What?" (Y/N) held back tears. No people? Then why had she come all this way?

He stood facing the town still, instead of her "All gone. Or they're ghouls, could've been either way. What now?" Why would he ask her? She'd just seen it, too. This was supposed to be the end of her road, the end of all of this mess. Of course it couldn't be. She told him quietly, with her voice still shaking that she didn't know what now.

He finally turneed tolook at her-really look at her, now-and fuck, it hurt. He looked as hurt as she did. Was this supposed to be the end for him, too? Did he have people here that he had cared about? She didn't have a clue. "We'll figure it out."

The tears truly started now. "I don't know that I can keep going."

Ulysses did something unexpected. He placed one large, calloused hand on the top of (Y/N)'s head, and drew her forward until her forehead was touching his. "S'pposed to be my home too, y'know." She knew. "We'll fix it."

Something in her broke a little. She forced out a nod, and they stayed like that for a long time. Suddenly she understood. She wasn't alone.


	10. Gob x F!Reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is an utter travesty that there is so little Gob in this fandom amiright?! I'm so right. Always. I have not written Gob in forever, so do forgive me if he seems a bit OOC

Gob could honestly not remember anyone having ever been so nice to him. Well, except maybe Greta or Carol, but they'd always been outliers. Even before the war, nobody'd ever spared him a second glance.

And in a way, that was all well and good because yes never have to worry about people bothering him when he didn't want them too, but everyone needed company once in a while, right?

Nova was nice enough, but she still just saw him a ghoul, rather than a human being. Everybody else wasn't worth mentioning, because they refused to look at him.

The Vault girl, (Y/N) though she was so different. It didn't even seem like an act. From the first time they'd met she'd been nothing but civil with him. 

He couldn't exactly say that he didn't worry when she went out alone for weeks, but she'd never came back any worse than just a little scratched up. Even then it was nothing a stimpack couldn't fix in a day or so.

She'd been mentioned on the radio-'Galaxy News Radio', he'd thought excitedly.- just a day or so ago and so surely she'd be coming back today. So he'd patiently waited, doing everything Moriarty had asked him too, ignoring the bar patrons occasionally throwing things at him and making a game out of it.

Every time someone would walk through the creaking front door his head would shoot up, hoping-

But it was never (Y/N).

A day turned to days and days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months. Every day was the same as the first, with a few more worries. What if she'd gotten hurt? What if he never saw her again? What if he had to live out his entire horribly extended, torturous life without her knowing if she was okay?

He'd given up on her ever coming back. It wasn't worth the effort anymore, to keep up the hoping.

One day, the door opened for the billionth time that day. Gob didn't look up, only scowled slightly and looked down at the counter. He didn't hear anything from whoever had came in-it must have been Moriarty. Then, he felt arms wrap around him and a head burrow into his shoulder.

For a moment he'd struggled against it, until he'd realised who it was. (Y/N), she'd come back! She was alright. 

"Gob!" She had laughed. "Gob, did I scare you?"

He'd nodded. Yes, he'd been scared, not only just now but for the weeks she'd been gone.

Shed laughed again, sweetly. "Guess what? I found my dad."

So that's why. "Really? Is he alright?"

"I-its a long story. There'll be time for it later. I...I've got enough caps to pay off your debt to Moriarty. And Nova's, but I want you to live with me, here."

It took a minute for his brain to register what she had said. That was a lot to lay on him so quickly. "W-What? How...how'd you know how much I owe? How did you make enough to...to..." His mouth couldn't even manage the words. She knew. Wait...live here? With you? You'd do that for me?"

And then her voice had gotten really soft, and maybe she's only answered one of his long string of questions but like she'd said, there'd be lots of time for all of that, if this wasn't all some sort of cruel joke. "Of course I'd do that for you. I love you, Gob, I'd do anything."

His mouth had opened and closed again, several times and all he'd really managed to to was hug her a little more, hoping that any of him didn't bother her. But...she loved him and so for a minute he didn't care. "I love you too."

And then they'd danced around the room, hand in hand, and usually someone would've tripped him by now or anything else, but everyone knew not to mess with her. Moriarty came in not a moment after he'd spun her around.

"What in hell is going on around here?!"

(Y/N) had simply grinned wider and reached in her pocket to pull out a bag of caps and toss them in his direction. "Catch!" The Irishman had shot her a confused look, and she'd put on a mocking tone. "I think you'll find that pays off not only Gob's debt, like we talked about, but Nova's as well. I am going to take Gob home now. Good day!"

And then everything was perfect.


	11. Danse x F!Reader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it turns out, you don't have to get Madison Li's help on Liberty Prime by outright refusing to join the Institute. Granted, that makes Maxson really upset but its good to know.

(Y/N) walked out onto the airports cement pad, the one where they would be constructing Liberty Prime with a clearly distressed look.

Danse hadn't been in there when Maxson had chewed her out. In fact, he hadn't even gotten the chance to warn her about the Elders anger. He wasn't even certain what had happened there, only that the Institute was on high alert now, because of something.

He rushed (as quickly as he could in his power armor, of course) to her, before she could meet Ingram to look over everything. 

"Are you alright, Knight (L/N)?" 

She looked surprised at his question, as if she hadn't expected anyone to ask. Knowing her, she probably thought she deserved the lecture. Danse didn't know nearly enough to make that call. But she was his partner, and someone needed to make sure she was alright.

Slowly, she nodded. "I think I'll be all right. Eventually." Despite this small reassurance, her voice seemed hollow, emotionless. "Nothing went the way I planned."

"Would you like to talk about it?" It would be a good idea to talk about it, right? That helped people...didn't it?

He didn't know. (Y/N) nodded again, still taking her sweet time. "Yes. That sounds good. Let me...let me talk to Ingram first. Is that alright?"

"Of course."

She talked to Ingram for a little bit, before disappearing into the place where he knew the remnants of the Brotherhoods greatest weapon were held. She returned, not looking any better. "I've got to grab a few things, would you meet me at the entrance?"

Danse gave a cut nod and a sharp "Ad Victoriam, Knight," in response. Halfheartedly she returned the gesture and went off. Ingram approached him as soon as (Y/N) was out of sight.

"Man, I don't think I've seen anyone so upset since Neriah let those mole-rats loose in the senior officers quarters by mistake. What do you think happened down there? Maxson looked royally pissed that she didn't come back with Dr. Li, but I don't think that was it."

"I don't know what happened," He shook his head. He knew Ingram was a good friend of (Y/N)'s, and he had always gotten along well with the Proctor. "But she'll tell us when she's ready, I'm sure."

He did fail to mention that she had agreed to talk to him about it. Her trust in him wasn't going to be helped if he told the whole chapter what she'd said. "Yeah, you're probably right." Ingram replied. "Anyways, I'd better get back to working. Good talk."

 

 

They'd walked most of the way to Diamond City before the sun began to set, and they'd had to make camp. 

Neither had said a word the entire way, and while Danse was not the sort of person who was driven crazy by that sort of thing, today it was bothering him and he didn't know why. 

She was sitting on the ground, prying open a can of Cram when he'd asked her again if she wanted to talk about it. (Y/N) had agreed once again.

"Its a very long story," she'd said, as if admitting some awful secret. "No one's ever really heard it before. I only just learned how it ended myself."

"I don't mind if its long," he'd replied evenly. "And I'd be honored to hear it. Is it your story?"

(Y/N) half shrugged, handing him the can of Cram she'd failed to open. It opened with a sharp pop, and he handed it back. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

He sits back with his rations and closely listens to everything, from her life before the war to earlier today, and meeting her son. He doesn't know what to say, after all that. She's so strong, stronger then he could ever manage. She insisted that that was not at all the case, and said that he was simply a different kind if strong and that they both had their own trials.

"And yours have been so much more than mine," he responds. "You're a wonderful inspiration, (Y/N)."

Danse doesn't know why that makes her start sobbing. Has he been so stupid as to not realize she's been bordering on tears the while time? Slowly and hesitantly he hugs her. They stay like that until the stars glow above them and the moon is high in the sky. "I'm sorry," she whispers.

"Don't be. You'd do the same for me." And she does, over and over again after he's lost everything.


	12. Muster Burke x F!Reader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing this! Burke's a bit of a hard character to write for me, in case you can't tell. Neutral Karma LW, I think. And no, I'm not totally happy with this, but it'll do.

It had been a week since (Y/N) had settled into her new 'home', the apartment on the top floor of Tenpenny tower. 

It wasn't really what the former Vault Dweller would've considered a home-it wasn't the Vault she had grown up in, nor was it like any of the pictures she'd ever seen of houses.

But it was closer than Megaton had been...and maybe that's why she'd taken the chance of..

Pretending it never happened was her favorite way of coping, it seemed. If she closed her eyes and thought for long enough, she could nearly imagine that she was back in the Vault, and her father was simply at work, and Jonas wasn't dead at all, and she'd never been to Megaton in the first place.

It was all very calming, she decided.

In fact, (Y/N) was doing this now, laying on the bed in her room, squeezing her eyes shut and trying very hard to convince herself that this was the bed that she'd grown up sleeping on. 

Until she was disturbed by a knock at the door. Oh, who now? Who'd want to visit her anyways, being that the only people in this tower that seemed to like her were Tenpenny himself, Herbert 'Daring' Dashwood (she smiled at that) and Mr. Burke.

At least, she'd thought that Burke had liked her. It was a bit odd, that he'd bring her here and praise her only to disappear without another word. 

His presence seemed to fill the tower with a sort of pleasantness she wasn't sure she could name. It almost felt like...home. 

Tenpenny said that hr simply had other things to do than stick around the tower for very long, lots of business to attend to and such.

Maybe it was just that she'd lived in a place her whole life where you couldn't just up and disappear. It was odd, (Y/N) though, all these people just coming and going out if her life.

Or maybe it was because she missed him. He had been very good company, after all. "Coming!" She'd called in the direction of the door, slowly opening her eyes again. (Y/N) eased herself off the bed, ready to meet whoever had disturbed her, friendly or not.

She hadn't expected it to be Burke, not after Tenpenny's reassurance that he never stuck around for long. "Oh. Hi."

One of his eyebrows raised over a sunglasses lenses. For a moment she wondered why he was wearing them inside, but this was the wasteland, so really it was the least of her worries. "Hello. May I come in for a moment, perhaps?"

"Of course," after all, it was only polite. He'd been the one to convince Tenpenny that she should have it, after all. "Would you like to sit down?"

He nodded briefly and entered, looking it over carefully. "It looks like you've been busy."

Well yes, she'd replied. Although it has been a but hard getting the couch and the Nuka Cola machine etc, etc up from the bottom floor. "And nobody offered a hand," she'd muttered, to herself more than anything, but she didn't miss how the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. 

"I'm only going to be back for a day or so, but I wanted to see how you were settling in. Is there anything I can do for you, my dear to help?"

Sincerely (Y/N) thought for a moment, and sat down on the small couch, gesturing for Burke to follow suit, which he soon did. 

What happened to Megaton was...a shame, she admitted, despite the fact that she was trying not to think about it. She had no leads about where her father had gone. But, perhaps he could help with that?

"I think I'm settling in well. But, I have one thing that...maybe you could help with when you get some spare time or are just out and about."

His curiosity didn't go unnoticed. "You need only ask. You've done a lot for this place with very little in return." 

"I need you...to help me find my dad. That is, if you can."

"You're going to have to give me more to go on," he replied, evenly as per usual but with a slight lilt of amusement. "Even I can't go on nothing."

(Y/N) smiled slightly and told him about the Vault. The short version, anyway. What did hiding it matter anyways? She didn't care what happened to them, not after they'd all tried to hurt her and succeeded in kicking her out for good.

Burke listened intently, seemingly holding on to each word as if they would be her last. After she finished, it became silent for far too long. "I see," he said and by that time (Y/N) had been about to Burke in anticipation. "He simply up and left one day? No note, no reason."

"None. And if he thought that I wasn't going to follow him out here, then he was wrong." 

"This must be...a very large change for you then. I can only imagine...I will do everything in my power to find him, but then what? Will you leave, and join him in whatever...endeavor that he has taken up?"

No, she reassured him that she could convince her father that it was a good idea to take up residence here (As long as she didn't tell him what she had done to earn it, but she didn't add that bit in aloud).

He fully smiled, now. "I am certain that you will not have any trouble with that. You could talk a ghoul into buying radaway."

Had that been...a joke? (Y/N) laughed. "You really think that, huh? You must think pretty highly of me." He only continued to smile slightly, although it turned more bashful, in turn leaving her a bit cluster. "Um...Thanks, Burke."

Unexpectedly, he hugged her, and she melted into it. Sure, this wasn't the Vault anymore and there was plenty to worry about, but at this moment, what did it matter? This was her home now.


	13. Piper x M!Reader

The last thing (Y/N) had expected upon walking into Diamond City was to be assaulted by Piper.

Then again, they hadn't seen each other in a while and a lot had happened since then. "You're back! Finally, geez have fun without me?"

The answer was a resounding 'No' but he wouldn't tell her that or else she'd get all smug. "Yeah, sure." It wasn't supposed to come out all huffy. "It'd just been a long week, y'know? I think I need a nap or something." 

He sidestepped around her a little bit in the direction of Home Plate. She moved quicker than (Y/N) though and blocked his path. 

"C'mon, Blue," she even grinned at her own nickname for him. "I felt that explosion, everybody did. Why don't you come inside, have a Nuka Cola and tell me all about what happened to the Institute."

She had been one of his first actual friends in the Wasteland and definitely his best friend, but for one thing, some of it was personal and he really was tired. For another thing, just because she was a reporter, he didn't want everything he wanted to tell her ending up as common knowledge.

It wasn't her fault. Piper was eager and had a good ear for the important bits, making her a great reporter and an even better gossip. 

But if he wanted to just...talk to Piper the Person instead of Piper the Reporter, he'd have to make it known that he felt that way. And he didn't think she'd take that small criticism well.

"No, really. We should talk later though," he didn't mean it, maybe she'd forget. "Maybe meet up for some noodles or something and we can talk about it."

She didn't respond right away, her shoulders just slightly slumped and her head moved to the side kind of like Dogmeat's did when (Y/N) was talking to him. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't been-" he didn't think he had been, anyways. "That's absolutely absurd."

"Why didn't you let me come along, then?! Why haven't we even talked in weeks?"

"I've just been busy," he sighed. "I promise." Very busy. Setting up a place for Shaun in Sanctuary Hills, the whole mess with the Institute, it just seemed to go on and on and it made (Y/N)'s head spin when he thought about it for too long. 

After that, she's quiet for a long time. Her lips unpurse slightly and she looks at him intently. "Did you find your son?"

He's not even sure. "Yeah. I did."

Her face lights up, and he contemplates telling her that its not how she thinks it is. "Y'know," she begins, still grinning in a way that always brightens up his entire world. "I have some baby clothes from Nat that might fit. I know you don't want to come in or anything but-"

"He's 10.' (Y/N) smiles. Its a lot calmer than he really feels. Nat's pretty close in age, so maybe her help would be the best. It looks like she's thinking the same thing. "You can help."

"I can help," she nods, laughing. "I don't know that its a great idea or anything but I can."

He decides to hug her, and throws in an awkward peck on the forehead for good measure. She blushes. "Thanks." It seems she's finally been caught speechless, and he's proud of himself. "(Y/N)...if there's anything you ever need to talk about, well... You know who to go to."

"Yup, good thing Nick's right around the corner here."

She snorts and he's so, so happy to see where they go together.


	14. Joshua Graham x F!Reader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for...idk graphic burn descriptions and a lack of actual medical knowledge on my part?

He had asked her to help with his bandages, which seemed a clear show of trust, but now he was just being difficult.

"Please stop moving," (Y/N) sighs, wondering how he supposedly does this every day when he can't even just stay still and let her. "This is becoming much harder than it needs to be."

Joshua huffs something under his breath but does become a little stiller, until she begins to peel off the old bandages around his mouth. He makes an upset noise and squirms a little. She could laugh, if she had reassurance that he wasn't in pain because it's just so unlike the stotic former Legate. 

They sit near to the top of the cave on the ground, near a place in the ceiling where light shines through. He has a chair pulled up, but doesn't sit in it because there isn't one for her, or some such nonsense that kind of makes her want to hit him.

It's like he's trying to atone for everything he ended up doing in the Legion by being polite. Hasn't he atoned enough for the God that he assures her is so forgiving? 

The first bandage is easy enough to pull off. She tries very hard to not pay attention to the awful smell coming from the ointment, or the way it looks like something that one might scrape off of a ghoul that had been in water for too long.

And really, the skin underneath it isn't much better. It's red, and obviously scared, and pulled too tightly around his bones. He hasn't reacted yet, but she can see that he's clenching his jaw, tightly and she sighs. "You don't always have to act like you aren't hurting, you know."

He stared at her with striking icy blue eyes, and she can almost hear him saying, "Of course I have to, I'm Joshua Graham, and I deserve every second of it." And while she partially understood, she also understood how much this has to hurt. 

They keep silent for a while longer, and she decides that she hates it. He's always so quiet, spent he ever want to talk about things? She finishes up one arm and starts on the other before coming up with something good to say. "You have very nice eyes." They are very nice, and she's caught herself thinking that a lot lately, trying to come up with a good and yet not disgustingly sappy way to phrase it.

Oh, did she say a good thing to say? In hindsight, it was definitely not good. She had just needed to say something, and well, it wasn't as though it had been a lie. As expected, he just looked at (Y/N) with a slight glare. "Thank you, I suppose. There isn't much of me left to compliment, is there?"

It had been phrased as a joke, of course. And it was sort of funny, not just the joke but the fact that he'd made a joke. That was of course much better than just ignoring her. She couldn't help but snort out loud, and then reply in a reassuring voice. "Oh, I'm sure there's plenty left, it's just a little hard to tell with all the bandages in the way though."

He decides not to answer this time but at least the awkwardness has mostly subsided. She thinks for a minute before finishing putting the undoubtedly unhelpful ointment on his arm before covering it back up with some relatively new looking bandages that look suspiciously like the ones she'd found a day or two before while scavenging.

Then it occurs to her that she gets to unwrap his face, and that's sort of an odd thought. Did he look like a ghoul under there? There's only one way to find out, (Y/N) supposes, and peels off the first bandage, which exposes nothing except a tip of an ear, and some more bandages. Surprise.

Joshua doesn't move back though, and definitely doesn't say anything. Just watches reverently with those unexplainable blue eyes and let's her go on, which she does, of course. And as she goes on she notes that he's far too pale for someone living in this sort of weather all the time, and it's like he's had chunks of his nearly glowing skin taken out and it looks terribly wrong. He only shows signs of pain once, with a slight flinch when she pulls a bit off that was stuck to his skin. 

The craziest thing is that he has hair still, at least kind of. It must've began to grow back in some places, and it's an a ashy black, instead of the pitch black she might've expected. When all of the bandage is off his face he sighs. "That feels...nice, I think. Thank you." 

Despite everything, part of her tells the rest of her that he still looks alright, and despite her earlier reassurance, yes it is mostly because of his eyes. "You mean it doesn't hurt more? I would've thought..."

"Let me rephrase," he deadpans. "It hurts slightly less." The only noise she can manage at this point is a small "ahh." And then her as are kind of just stick there and her mouth can't make words because there's a lot to think about, here. How can he deal with it? How is he still going after everything? 

But although it's just thought, it sure looks like she's staring. Her eyes snap away, and she mumbles out an apology. His lips curl into a small (visible!) frown and he asks her to put the new bandages on now. "That's not...I didn't mean to stare. Sorry. It's not that it's bad, I was just thinking of something."

That probably doesn't help the situation because her words dissolved into an apologetic mess, so she begins to roll the bandages out anyways and put them back on. It was nice while it lasted, being that it was probably not something he let a whole lot of people see. What had she done to deserve that? "It's fine, I'm perfectly aware of how I must look, although I admit that I haven't been around a mirror in some time."

Oh, so he doesn't believe her? "Really, I wasn't even paying attention. I was thinking about how brave you must be to live through all of that. It just...well, I'd probably jump off a cliff again and make sure I didn't miss the rocks again, if I'm being honest." All the band as are back on now and she toys with the container the ointment is in, not quite sure what to do so her hands.

"I thought about it quite a bit," he admits, eyes softening slightly and darting to the floor. "But I had faith that I survived for a reason, and I have began to see that reason, in the tribes I help to protect and in those around me. Such as you, Courier."

The way he says it just kind of just makes the word stop moving. Suddenly she's not thinking right and she really wants to kiss him. And so she goes for it, because it not now, then when, right? 

"Don't." He says and she stops awkwardly halfway to where she'd assume his lips are. Oh dear, did she offend him, was it some sort of religious thing? How was she supposed to know?! But he follows this statement and her worries by pushing away her carefully wrapped bandages as to reveal his mouth and then goes in for the kiss himself.

(Y/N) is pleasantly surprised, and by the time the gentle kissing is over, she realizes that it might be hurt him. "Did it hurt, are you okay?"

There's a rough sound, that can only be laughter. "I'm fine, quit worrying about me. Come and sit down with me at my spot, would you?" She is so incredibly happy to join him.


	15. Butch x F!Reader

Being stuck underground with a bunch of people who didn't seem to like you might've sounded about as fun as really was. That was to say, not fun at all. It sucked, simply put.

And for 19 years? The actual fucking worst. It was lucky for (Y/N) that she had a semi-dark sense of humor and way too much patience. Otherwise, it might've not taken until today for her to snap.

Why did the Vault even need a marriage counselor anyways? The GOAT needed to be updated for when there was a good 150 people in the Vault and most of them were either single or without need for counseling. So, her job mostly consisted of sitting at her desk and playing games on her Pip-Boy unless someone decided they'd come in just to humor her. 

Today, though it wasn't Beatrice coming in because she was equally bored (although she'd never admit it) or Jonas on his lunch break from the clinic. Never Butch Deloria. That was certainly a new one.

"Aren't you supposed to be cutting people's hair or something?" It still surprised her that he had gotten hairdresser on the test, but from what she had seen, he wasn't half bad. Not that she was going to risk it, of course. Butch had never been especially nice to her or Amata, but she hadn't ever given him a reason to bother her. But to be fair, she'd never stood up for herself, either.

He shrugged, leaning against the doorway. "Nobody ever comes by anyway. Whatcha' doin', Nosebleed?" God, she hated that nickname. It was one time, he'd punched her in the shoulder and her nose had began to bleed a few seconds later. It had been what, 10 years?

Nothing. She wasn't doing anuthing, but she sure wasn't giving him the satisfaction of telling him do. "Working." (Y/N) said, deciding short answers was the way to go today. She was bored, so her patience was already stretched thin, and him coming in here just to be an ass was really not going to help that. "Could you please leave? I'm really busy."

He laughed. "Sure, just as busy as I am right now, of course. Whatcha do in here all day anyways? Not like theres much for you do, huh. "

Alright, being ornery wasn't going to help. (Y/N) sucked in a deep breath and went back to Pipfall, refusing to say another word. Still, Butch persisted. He sat on her mostly empty desk and held one of the few papers sitting there up to the blindingly bright ceiling lights, as though that would help him see it better. "Hmm, I didn't know that about-"

"Out, Deloria!" She finds herself standing up and pointing at the door. "Now!"

He huffs, of course like he's doing her a service just by being here, and holding up his hands like he's surrendering. "Geez, someone's serious about her job."

Out of pure frustration for the whole situation and just about the entire Vault in general she decides to tell, "No, I'm not. I fucking hate this job, and the Vault, I just want you out of my office!"

And then Butch laughs, because of course he can't take her seriously even if she's screaming at him. "Wow, Nosebleed. You got some anger issues or is it just today?" (Y/N) just glares at him, but now he's cracking up even more. "Look, I get it. Are you bored? Because I'm bored as hell and that makes anyone angry, I think."

Yeah, actually. It's probably been building up to this, and she's wonder how he'd even figure that out when it occurs to her that he said no one comes in to him anyways. She ends up sighing and admitting that he's probably right. Being stuck in the same room with going to do five days a week for seven hours a day has been getting to her.

"Sit back down, Deloria. I'm going to find something for both of us to do it if kills me."

From that day on, they get along a little bit better. She isn't so quiet anymore around him, and the insults they shoot back and forth could almost be mistaken for friendly banter if everyone in 101 didn't know better.


	16. Borous x F!Reader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My spellcheck doesn't like Borous' name, it thinks it needs to be Corpus. Yep. That's the day I'm having. Anyways this is pre-war. If you don't like the think tank, meet me behind a Dennys and we'll settle this the correct way.

No, being a scientist at Big MT was not all it had cracked up to be, especially considering that (Y/N) hadn't seen the actual sun in around two years. 'Oh well,' she thought dryly. 'Who needs sunlight when you've got science.'

Currently (Y/N) was running samples of some drug or another, being that the sedative they were currently using on the Nightstalkers wasn't working as well as anyone would like, which had resulted in several injuries already.

She began to hum to herself, not even hearing anyone enter the lab, and almost jumping when her unused hand was met by a cold, slimy thing. (Y/N) looked down and smiled.

"Hi, Gabe!" She cooed at the head of the department's dog. Gabe often liked to run around when Dr. Borous was doing his own thing around the facility, and to the best of her knowledge, Borous just let him.

The dog still wasn't looking great, with a few patches of the missing, but (Y/N) figured he looked a little better than last time she'd seen him at least. She didn't know what was wrong with the poor thing, and there was no way she was going to ask. 

But (Y/N) set back to work, occasionally pausing to pat Gabe on the head so he would stop whining for attention. The samples had just finished in the centrifuge when he went over to the open door, whined and came back. 

And then entered the head of the department into her tiny lab, looking around dramatically. "Ah, there you are, Gabe!" Hearing about his grandstanding and actually witnessing it were two very different things . He accentuated things a little bit strangely, yes but it only added to his dramatic flair. "I had worried about you."

"G-Good morning, Dr. Borous," (Y/N) manages to stammer out, although it's difficult. He's very tall, and a little bit intimidating, actually. Save for his mustache, at least. That was...quite frankly the least intimidating thing ever. In fact it was pretty cute.

Only after she speaks does he seem to notice that she is there, leaning on a counter, letting his dog. "Oh. Greetings, you must be Dr. (L/N)." 

Okay, that was weird. Unless he memorized the names and faces of everyone in his department, there was no reason at all for him to know her name. She hadn't been assigned to any especially important projects or anything. "Yes, that's me. Sorry to worry you, Gabe just likes to come in here sometimes."

He thinks for a second. "Really? He's very smart, you know. He only likes good people." A simple, quiet "Oh" is the only response that she can make. At least he keeps talking after that, loud as ever. "What do you happen to be working on?"

Finally something she can manage. Talking about work is easy. "Oh, it's a sedative for the Nighstalkers. They've been causing some problems, so we've got to come up with something stronger. Not so they're just straight up out, but so they're docile enough to handle and ship to X-8."

"I see," Borous says, and work seemed easier to talk about for him, too. "What are you using currently?" 

"A watered down Ketamine, because that's sort of all we have and we haven't got the order signed off on an alternative yet." (Y/N) looks down to see Gabe nuzzling her hand, upset that both of their attentions are not on him. She smiles and pets him some more. 

Borous shifts his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. "Oh. That's...that's my job, isn't it?" She tried to smile nicely and nod. " Maybe... " he coughs and suddenly the bravado is gone. "Perhaps we could get dinner and I could look over it?" He must be pretty lonely, if he wants to have dinner with her, but she still nods.

It would be nice to break routine for once, and he's got a cute dog, which is absolutely a bonus. "Well, I will see you after work, then." They both cough awkwardly and finally she's alone in her lab again, deciding that there is one (1) good thing about living in the Big MT science facility.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm also at goodmorningaperture.tumblr.com


End file.
